URTU aims to double up
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• The United Road Transport Union aims to double its declining 18,000 membership with a recruitment campaign. General secretary David Higginbottom says many drivers are not members simply because they have not been asked.
And the union is conducting research into how many hours drivers actually work: Higginbottom cites cases of drivers on duty for up to 30 hours. The results will be used to lobby the European Commission and the Department of Transport to prevent drivers working more than a 12.5 hour day, taking into account all duties.
Higginbottom says the survey will be carried out using independent researchers together with the union's journal and its planned recruitment truck.
Higginbottom is not opposed to drivers working more days if there are trade-offs, such as longer holidays. "Bakery drivers get compensated for a six-day week by one week off every seven, giving 11 weeks holiday a year," says Higginbottom.
Higginbottom is concerned that long hours and continual fatigue could have unrecognised long-term effects, such as accelerated ageing. He believes the widespread use of mechanical handling has also contributed to drivers' lack of fitness: "In one of my jobs we handled seed potatoes in eight-stone bags then drove 120 miles — the lads were pretty fit even though some smoked and drank."
URTU's target of 18,000 new members is based on TUC research showing 10% of workers not in trade unions cite the reason as having "never been asked". There are 430,000 UK lorry drivers: the TUC survey claims 70% of workers are prounion, giving a figure of 301,000 drivers who might join. Of these, 120,000 are already in trade unions, leaving 181,000 potential recruits, 10% of which URTU is targeting. Higginbottorn says URTU's claims in the coming pay round will be moderate and realistic — but he opposes the Transport and General Workers' Union's tactic of asking for a "substantial" increase rather than naming a sum. "It's a bit of a cop-out — it's like saying we will not put down a figure we cannot justify," he says. But he slams RHA decisions to disband joint industrial councils as "shortsighted" leading to "open season on rates and plummeting pay".
The union's attempt to open truckstops now awaits a finance plan — potential investors could include URTU members, other unions and oil companies. Money could be saved by siting URTU's regional officers at the truckstops, turning the project into multi-user sites.
Higginbottom wants the truckstops to serve drivers' real needs. "When one operator replaced its shelves of girliemags with toothbrushes and soap it increased its turnover," he says.